Xbox Live Gold price increases in UK due to 'market conditions'

It looks like prices for Xbox Live Gold in the United Kingdom are going up. Due to the Brexit situation in the country, the price of the pound has shifted in front of the dollar. Microsoft is seemingly distributing messages to Xbox Live Gold members as a result, indicating they'll soon be paying £50 a year, instead of £40. The same goes for the 3-month subscription which is going from £15 to £18.

An Xbox Live Gold member, James Lyle, reached out to us with the message he received on his console, notifying affected Xbox Live subscribers of the changes. It's safe to say that it's going to come as a shock to many, but considering the fact that Microsoft is based in the United States, market conditions do result in price increases from time to time.

We've reached out to Microsoft for comment and shall update you as soon as we receive a response. In order to avoid this, we would recommend stocking up on Xbox Live Gold cards right now. That way you'll be paying £40 for even longer.

Update April 4, 2019: Microsoft has responded to us with the following information. "To ensure gamers have consistent pricing for Xbox Live Gold across Europe we are making changes to UK pricing from May 8th. Prices will rise by £1 a month for our monthly subscriptions, £3 for our quarterly subscriptions and by £10 a year for an annual membership. This new pricing is aligned to the changes we made in the region in 2016 as we strive to offer our members premium gaming and entertainment services at a fair price. We have notified members whose accounts are on recurring billing in the UK so they are aware well in advance."

There are frequent sales on Xbox Live Gold memberships so all is not lost. Unless you buy directly from the Microsoft Store, chances are that Amazon or some other retailer will be selling a 12-month subscription at a discount.